debunk

verb

de·​bunk (ˌ)dē-ˈbəŋk 

debunked; debunking; debunks

transitive verb

: to expose the sham (see sham entry 1 sense 2) or falseness of

debunk a legend

debunker noun

Did you know?

To debunk something is to take the bunk out of it—that bunk being nonsense. (Bunk is short for the synonymous bunkum, which has political origins.) Debunk has been in use since at least the 1920s, and it contrasts with synonyms like disprove and rebut by suggesting that something is not merely untrue but is also a sham—a trick meant to deceive. One can simply disprove a myth, but if it is debunked, the implication is that the myth was a grossly exaggerated or foolish claim.

Synonyms of debunk

• refute
• disprove
• discredit

Examples of debunk in a Sentence

The article debunks the notion that life exists on Mars.

The results of the study debunk his theory.

Recent Examples on the Web

But the claim was quickly debunked as officials on the island of Saint Helena, where the tortoise lives, reported that Jonathan was still kicking. —Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 2 Apr. 2026

This is one of the most critical details in debunking the claim. —Ryan Brennan april 1, Sacbee.com, 1 Apr. 2026

Zendaya did, however, debunk the fake wedding photos generated by artificial intelligence that were circulating on social media earlier this month. —Zara Irshad, San Francisco Chronicle, 1 Apr. 2026

Despite being debunked time and time again, a startling proportion of the public still hold onto these claims. —Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 1 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1923, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for debunk

• bunk
• chunk
• clunk
• drunk
• dunk
• hunk
• junk
• punk
• shrunk
• slunk
• spunk
• sunk

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Kids Definition

debunk

verb

de·​bunk (ˈ)dē-ˈbəŋk 

: to expose the falseness in

debunk popular myths

debunker noun